Bates Footwear Unveils Jungle Boot for the 21st Century

ROCKFORD, Mich., July 7, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bates Footwear, a division of Wolverine Worldwide (NYSE:WWW), announced today the launch of the Recondo jungle boot, a low-absorption, quick drying, durable solution designed to provide secure footing in multi-terrain jungle regions. Named for the Reconnaissance and Commando Training Course developed in the 1950s at Fort Campbell, the Recondo meets the need for a Berry Compliant jungle/tropical combat boot for today's warfighters and peacekeepers.

To meet the demands of today's evolving asymmetrical threats, Bates partnered with the United States Army Special Forces Command (USASFC) to develop the Recondo. Bates received valuable performance feedback after the 75th Army Ranger Regiment tested the Recondo in Central America during the winter of 2014. As a result, the Recondo boot delivers an exclusive lighter weight, quick drying durable leather and textile upper and has been designed to provide the best breathability possible for the spectrum of jungle combat situations.

"The Recondo provides a much needed jungle boot update for the next generation of our armed services," said Bates Footwear President Onder Ors. "Based on the specific feedback we received from our development partners in the Special Operations Forces, Bates has created the only boot specifically engineered for hot, wet and humid combat environments common in tropical regions."

The Recondo boot is made with Wolverine Warrior Leather™ which is lightweight, durable, breathable, and is water, stain, and oil resistant. The MultiCam® ripstop nylon fabric enhances performance as it is lightweight, abrasion resistant, and highly durable. The blended upper material is light, strong, comfortable and has near infrared properties (NIR) making the boot less visible in low light environments.

The Recondo utilizes a unique lacing system developed based on feedback from operators and incorporates Bates' many years of experience with lace-to-toe styles. This assures that all users can easily utilize the speed lace system and achieve proper fit and closure.

The design of the solid rubber outsole is the Vibram® Mutant, which has a deeper, more aggressive lug depth for off road traction, a multi-directional leading edge that enhance slip-resisting properties, and a rounded heel for natural touch down. This sole design has also incorporated a customized rubber compound that is durable enough to withstand Special Operations Forces use in hot weather, temperate weather, and mountainous operational environments.

The Recondo boot is being officially launched at the ADS Warrior Expo East in Virginia Beach, VA, on July 10th and 11th. This premiere industry event brings end users, program managers, and procurement specialists together with industry-leading solutions providers in an environment designed specifically for government and defense organizations. The Recondo will be available for purchase beginning Fall 2014. Visit warrior-expo.com for more information on the event.

About Bates Footwear

Bates Footwear is a division of Wolverine World Wide, Inc. based in Rockford, Michigan. Wolverine employs over 8,000 people globally, including nearly 6,000 in the United States. Bates is dedicated to manufacturing military footwear and has been manufacturing in the United States for nearly 130 years. Bates is one of the largest footwear suppliers to the DoD and has industry-unique R+D capabilities that are continuously focused on providing American warfighters with a combat advantage. http://www.batesfootwear.com

About ADS, Inc.

ADS, Inc. is a leading solutions provider proudly serving all branches of the U.S. Military, federal, state, and local government organizations, law enforcement, first responders, foreign governments, and the defense industry. ADS is focused on solving our customer's challenges through the largest product and service selection, the broadest array of procurement and contract options, world-class support and logistics solutions, and legendary customer service. We provide a single source solution that helps customers meet their mission requirements as cost-effectively as possible, reduce their cost of readiness while enhancing their acquisition strategy. ADS equipment and support solutions include C4ISR, Combat Support, Medical, Operational Clothing and Individual Equipment (OCIE), Weapons, and Optics as well as Special Missions such as CWMD, EOD, First Responders, and Maritime.

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